Stakeholders Support Commercial Cultivation of GM Cowpea in Ghana
September 6, 2023| |
The commercial cultivation of Ghana's first locally developed genetically modified (GM) cowpea, Bt Songotra, is supported by nearly 50 scientists and regulators from different institutions during the workshop organized by the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) in Accra, Ghana.
Bt Songotra cowpea is part of the ongoing efforts to develop the second generation of pod borer resistance (PBR) cowpeas which aims to have a positive impact on food security and livelihood of small-scale farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. This milestone is also expected to increase crop production and help reduce prices of the crop.
In Ghana, low yields of cowpea is caused by insect and pest infections every year. With Bt Songotra, researchers hope for an improved variety of cowpea and higher yield of crops that are resistant to infections.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) - Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) is working to produce sufficient amounts of early-generation seeds of Bt Songotra for distribution to farmers by the end of the year.
For more information, read the article on the Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) website.
| |
You might also like:
- First Gene-Edited Cowpea Designed for Mechanized Harvesting
- Ghana Approves Bt Cowpea for Environmental and Market Release
- Ghana's Scientists to Seek Commercial Approval for GE Cowpea
Biotech Updates is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a not-for-profit organization. It is distributed for free to over 22,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10.
-
See more articles:
-
Plant
- Stakeholders Support Commercial Cultivation of GM Cowpea in Ghana
- Philippines Approves Bt Cotton for Commercial Propagation
- COGEM Concludes Stacked GM Cotton T304-40 x GHB119 x COT102 Does Not Pose an Environmental Risk in the Netherlands
- Best-bet Communication Approaches on New Breeding Technologies Proposed at ABBC2023
-
Animal
- ISAAA and DA-FBC Educated Stakeholders About Mudfish Spawning Technology
-
Food
- Biotech Company Launches Plant-Based Casein
- Study Highlights Impact of GE Crops in Global Agri Output
-
Health
- Scientists Map Key Part of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein
- Researchers Develop PCR-based Blood Diagnostic Test for Parkinson's Disease
-
Read the latest: - Biotech Updates (September 11, 2024)
- Gene Editing Supplement (September 11, 2024)
- Gene Drive Supplement (February 22, 2023)
-
Subscribe to BU: - Share
- Tweet